The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, visited the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) today (October 21) to inspect the construction progress of the KTSP and review the preparatory work for the test event to be held there on October 27 (Sunday).
      
     The first test event of the KTSP will take place at the Public Sports Ground on October 27, with around 1 000 invited spectators attending a local football match. With its proximity to the Sung Wong Toi Station of the MTR, it is expected that the majority of the spectators will make use of railway services to access the Public Sports Ground. The MTR Corporation Limited has made preparation for the operation arrangements of the Sung Wong Toi Station and Kai Tak Station earlier.
      
     At the visit today, Mr Yeung also asked the Kai Tak Sports Park Limited (KTSPL) to ensure smooth arrangements for the test event and enhancement measures of the pedestrian facilities and the environment to provide a good experience for visitors.
      
     "The first test event at the Public Sports Ground on October 27 marks a milestone for progressing to the official commissioning of the KTSP. The Government and KTSPL will organise multiple test events and drills. With the concerted efforts of different bureaux and departments, we are confident that the test events and drills will enable us to accumulate invaluable experience for better preparation of the full commissioning of the KTSP," Mr Yeung said.
      
     As mentioned in "The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address", the major facilities of the KTSP will be completed by the end of this year. The KTSP, being the largest sports infrastructure project ever commissioned in Hong Kong, will be open in the first quarter of 2025. It will boost sports development and inject impetus into related industries such as recreation, entertainment and tourism, and also mega-event economy.
      
     To ensure smooth operations after its official commissioning, the KTSP will organise a series of test events and drills from end-October to the first quarter of next year. The schedule of test events will dovetail with the construction progress of the facilities in respective venues of the KTSP as well as the readiness of the operator. The test events and drills will begin from the periphery of the KTSP, followed by the testing of facilities within the precinct gradually. The number of participants at the test events and drills will also increase incrementally, from 1 000 as a start to around 50 000 participants eventually. It is expected that a total of around 150 000 to 200 000 participants will take part in the test events and drills before the official commissioning of the KTSP.     

        

     The Government announced today (October 21) that the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, has reappointed the following persons as Council members of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra Limited for a period of two years, until the conclusion of the company's Annual General Meeting in 2026.
 
Mr Andrew Fan Chun-wah
Mrs Nina Lam Lee Yuen-bing
Mr Clarence Ling Chun-kit
Ms Wong Shu-ming

     The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, attended the 17th Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) today (October 21).
 
     SIEW is organised by the Energy Market Authority under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) of Singapore. The theme this year is "A Connected and Sustainable Energy World". Mr Tse attended the SIEW Summit to speak on the topic of Asia's Collaborative Journey to a Sustainable Energy Future, and engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanges with other participants.
 
     Speaking at the Summit, Mr Tse said that Hong Kong strives to reduce carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. The carbon emissions in Hong Kong peaked in 2014. Compared to the peak, the carbon emissions of Hong Kong have reduced by about a quarter and the target is to reduce them by half before 2035. Hydrogen energy is a low-carbon energy with development potential. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is advancing with prudence to create an environment conducive to the development of hydrogen energy, which includes improving legislation, setting up infrastructure and funding trial projects. He said, "Our country places great emphasis on developing hydrogen technology, and has a number of high-quality products and advanced technology. Hong Kong can grab the opportunity to become a hub for the country to promote different products and technologies, helping Hong Kong and other countries to promote a green transition."
 
     Mr Tse also pointed out that there are three key elements to promote regional collaboration, namely political will to set policy targets, active participation from industries and the establishment of an exchange platform for sharing experiences and seeking co-operation. He expressed his gratitude to SIEW for providing an excellent platform that brings together various parties to explore new opportunities and collaboration.
 
     In the afternoon, Mr Tse met with the Senior Minister of State for the MTI, Ms Low Yen Ling, to exchange views on hydrogen development. He later met with officials of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore to learn more about the latest developments of green maritime fuel in Singapore.
 
     Mr Tse also visited a local shipping company today and received a briefing on the supply chain and bunkering operations of green marine fuels, particularly the application of green methanol. 
 
     Tomorrow (October 22), Mr Tse will visit a local enterprise to understand better the developments and applications of sustainable aviation fuel. He will return to Hong Kong the same evening.

          

     Presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, this year's Asia+ Festival is offering "+1+1+1+", a multimedia dance performance featuring a mesmerising mix of music, dance and technology. Japanese media art pioneer Daito Manabe, the production's director, composer and video designer, will be joined by J-pop dance artist, stage and choreography director MIKIKO with her all-female dance troupe ELEVENPLAY. Together, they are set to join forces to broaden the artistic horizons of audiences.
 
     Manabe has worked with such artistic luminaries as Björk and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Rather than forging a sense of realism in such a way that the audience would experience really being there in his works, he is keen on highlighting interesting things about the human physique, data and programming per se, in his contemplation of the relationships and boundaries between the analogue and the digital, the real and the virtual. MIKIKO's long list of collaborators includes rock diva Ringo Sheena and Olympic figure-skating gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu, while her choreography is seen in celebrated performances of electro-pop group Perfume and heavy metal group BABYMETAL. She is also extensively involved in media art, and is particularly noted for her ability to fuse advanced technology with mass culture, breaking down barriers between pop and the experimental. 
 
     In "+1+1+1+", a multimedia dance performance themed around time and structure, dancers and the richly layered performance space become an organic whole, made possible by the masterful use of motion capture and holographic projection technology. The latter creates a hyperreal realm, where the stage, lighting and music are constantly evolving to evoke a dream-like quality. Not only does "+1+1+1+" unravel the endless possibilities between humanity and technology but it brings together the structure and rhythm of traditional and contemporary arts, venturing into the uncharted territory of music, dance and technology to offer new ways of expression. 
 
     "+1+1+1+" will be staged at 7.30pm on November 8 and 9 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre. A meet-the-artist session will be held after the November 8 performance. Tickets priced at $240, $360, $480 and $580 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288; or use the mobile ticketing app "URBTIX". For more details about the show, please refer to asiaplus.gov.hk/2024/en/+1+1+1+.
 
     The second Asia+ Festival is running from September to November, highlighting the arts and cultures of nearly 30 countries from Asia, the Middle East and Belt and Road regions. Apart from stage programmes, there are also thematic exhibitions, an outdoor carnival, film screenings, outreach activities and more, numbering over 100 in total. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2370 1044 or visit asiaplus.gov.hk/2024/en/.

            

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (October 23) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Rating (Amendment) Bill 2024 will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receive its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.

     The Second Reading debate on the Shipping Legislation (Use of Fuels and Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2024 will also resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receive its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.

     On Government motion, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury will move a proposed resolution under the Hotel Accommodation Tax Ordinance to resolve that, with effect from January 1, 2025, the Hotel Accommodation Tax Ordinance be amended. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 1.

     On Members' motions, Mr Tony Tse will move a motion on actively developing land and optimizing land use to promote the development of the economy and industries. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Mr Louis Loong, Mr Stanley Ng, Ms Chan Yuet-ming, Mr Lau Kwok-fan, Ms Carmen Kan and Mr Andrew Lam will move separate amendments to Mr Tse's motion.

     Mr Shang Hailong will move a motion on following up on measures for new migrant talents to integrate into Hong Kong. The motion is set out in Appendix 3. Dr Johnny Ng and Mr Yim Kong will move separate amendments to Mr Shang's motion.

     During the meeting, the Chief Secretary for Administration will present "The Government Minute in response to the Report of the Public Accounts Committee No.82 of July 2024" and address the Council.

     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.

     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.